Standing Together

America is no place for bigots. What we witnessed this weekend was the kind of hatred we should only have to read about in history books. These reprehensible acts and rhetoric have been an attack on all Americans and have no place in our country.

Sadly and unsurprisingly, President Trump failed to affirm that simple truth. It took 3 days, multiple attempts, and intense public pressure before the president even acknowledged that white supremacists were responsible for this weekend’s violence. History will not forget that when the streets of Charlottesville echoed with evil, Donald Trump responded with silence.

In the absence of strong moral leadership in the White House, the country needs Democrats to lead with our values. There are not “many sides” to the issue of white supremacy. There is right and wrong. Those who gathered in Charlottesville in the name of racism were wrong, and it is up to all of us to stand up for what is right.

At the DNC, we believe diversity is our greatest strength. We believe that what it means to be an American is not decided by birth or bloodline, but by the values we share: inclusion and equality, justice and opportunity for all — no matter what you look like, where you come from, who you love, or how you pray. Those are the same values we’re fighting for every day at the DNC.

In times like these, we should always remember the words of Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel: “Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”

Thank you for not being silent. Thank you for standing up for the vulnerable. And thank you for your commitment to the ideals of the Democratic Party. We look forward to working with you as we turn the tide against hate at the ballot box by electing Democrats in the months and years ahead.

This weekend we will be doing more than 150 plus events across 38 states to make sure Americans know Democrats are fighting for them. To find or host an event go to resistsummer.com or email Ryan Doyle at doyler@dnc.org.